Here in America, if you're watching TV, you're likely watching the "Help For Haiti Now" telethon which is on just about every channel.
CMT News:
Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief has announced the addition of new musical artists and celebrity participants to its lineup -- with Beyoncé in London, Madonna in New York City, and Haitian artist Emeline Michel in Los Angeles.
The telethon will air Friday (Jan. 22) at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Madonna, Beyoncé and Michel join the previously announced lineup: Wyclef Jean, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira and Sting (in New York City), Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, and a group performance by Keith Urban, Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow (in Los Angeles) and Coldplay and a group performance by Bono, the Edge, Jay-Z and Rihanna in London.
In addition to the musical performances, Wyclef Jean, George Clooney and CNN's Anderson Cooper will be joined by former President Bill Clinton, Ben Stiller, Brad Pitt, Chris Rock, Clint Eastwood, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Jon Stewart, Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Nicole Kidman, Robert Pattinson, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Hanks, Will Smith with Muhammad Ali and more than 100 of the biggest names in film, television and music.
Music performances from Hope for Haiti Now will be available for purchase and download at the iTunes Store. Beginning on Friday (Jan. 22), iTunes customers will be able to exclusively preorder both the Hope for Haiti Now full performance album ($7.99) and the full two-hour video telecast ($2.99). Preorders will be delivered in the days following the telethon. Individual audio performances will also be available for purchase and download for 99 cents each in the days following the telethon. Apple, the record labels and the artists will donate their share of the proceeds to Haiti relief funds managed by Hope for Haiti Now charities.
Hope for Haiti Now performances will also be available for purchase on AmazonMP3 and Rhapsody, with distribution provided by INgrooves. Proceeds from those purchases will also benefit Haiti relief funds managed by Hope for Haiti Now charities.
Hope for Haiti Now will benefit Oxfam America, Partners in Health, the Red Cross, UNICEF, United Nations World Food Programme, Yele Haiti Foundation, and the newly-formed Clinton Bush Haiti Foundation. Proceeds from Hope for Haiti Now will be split among each organization's individual funds for Haiti earthquake relief. With the exception of the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, each partner organization was selected for its history of operation and collaboration within the NGO community in Haiti.
Hope for Haiti Now will air across ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, BET, The CW, HBO, MTV, VH1, CMT, PBS, TNT, Showtime, COMEDY CENTRAL, Bravo, E! Entertainment, National Geographic Channel, Oxygen, G4, CENTRIC, Current TV, Fuse, MLB Network, EPIX, Palladia, SoapNet, Style, Discovery Health, Planet Green, CNN en Español, HBO Latino, and Canadian networks including CBC Television, CTV, Global Television and MuchMusic.
In addition, the event will be live streamed online globally across sites including YouTube, Hulu, MySpace, Fancast, AOL, MSN.com, Yahoo, Bing.com, BET.com, CNN.com, CMT.com, MTV.com, VH1.com and Rhapsody and on mobile via Alltel, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and FloTV. Hope for Haiti Now will also air internationally on BET International, CNN International, National Geographic and MTV Networks International, which is available in 640 million homes worldwide. Hope for Haiti Now will be available non-exclusively to all terrestrial radio stations around the globe and Sirius XM Radio as a one-time-only radio broadcast via the MTV Radio Network and Westwood One.
Hope for Haiti Now will begin accepting donations Friday (Jan. 22) at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT via the following methods: Online: http://www.hopeforhaitinow.org Phone: (877) 99-HAITI Text: Text "GIVE" to 50555 Mail: Hope for Haiti Now Fund, Entertainment Industry Foundation, 1201 West 5th Street, Suite T-700, Los Angeles, CA 90017
You've all read the news, seen the photos, viewed the footage on the evening news. Haunting, absolutely devastatingly haunting. Read these journals by Dr. Mark Hyman for the Huffington Post if you want a raw, true account. Unbelievable, isn't it?
All the photos, the videos, they can be heavy, but then again, we know our God is touching these people in amazing ways. Unfortunately, some of us are apathetic - it's easy to ignore a disaster that hit miles and miles away - and others don't believe in hope for one reason or another, but beneath the dead bodies, orphaned children, and moonlight tears, there is this:
Barely past a week ago, a small country woke up. The people began their daily routines. Perhaps like you and I did this morning? They went about their days. Most were in poverty, but they tried to make ends meet. Little did they know what the next few hours held for them: an earthquake, striking their entire country into ultimate devastation.
Who says that couldn't have happend to us? We wake up every day expecting a normal day. Unfortunately, disaster can, and does, strike. These beautiful people could have been us. They could have been you, me, our parents, friends, coworkers...
Let these images from LIFE speak for themselves. Click to see the image bigger so you can see every bit of desperation, charity, teamwork, hope, and defeat. (Yes, there are graphic images, but challenge yourself to come out of your comfort zone and really see what these people are going through.)
I know how so many of us feel hopeless when we see the magnitude of such a disaster, so many miles away. We're here, they're there. We can't bring water, help build housing, or carry orphans to orphanages in the US. We can't even hold them while they cry, wipe away their tears.
These global catastrophes really make my problems seem so small. My heart reaches out to these people, and below I'll list some ways I'm helping. I'd love it if you'd join me! We call can give up that cup of coffee or extra cute shoes. :) The best part? Everyone can help. A simple prayer could make a difference or save a life. If you want to donate money, it doesn't have to be a lot! Read this piece by Suze Ornman - Even your spare change can inspire someone else to give, to help these poor devastated people. A very good place to donate your money is Compassion International. They're a Christian group that connects me with my "adopted" (sponsored) daughter in Nicaragua. Millions of people, through Compassion, sponsor needy children in the most desolate areas. I've been with them for nearly a year, and this group is high up on those lists that rank how much of your money actually goes to charity (as in, not the CEO's bank account). Many of the sponsors had children in Haiti, so this is extra devastating to all of us. Some sponsors are without the children they've helped raise through donations that provided learning, clean food/water, safety, etc. Very sad.
Another site I'm really looking at is Hope for Haiti. It's a site where one woman's great idea turned into earning thousands of dollars for Haiti. Each post has something from a sponsor company (jewelry, gift certificate to their store, cosmetics, blog redesign, experiences, you name it) and each item has a raffle. Buy as many "raffle tickets" as you'd like, and you might win the item you want! All items are donated, and all profits go to Haiti. Who said one person couldn't change the world?
Please do something. Do many things, or do one thing. Say a prayer, or pray every day. Everything counts for these precious people. This could have happened to anyone...
... or forget about it until you're forced to face it... you know, when it hits your mom, your sister, your son, or your friend? It's your choice, but unless we face it now, we'll only have to face it harder later...
K guys... this is BIG:
Official press release:
Stand Up To Cancerwww.standup2cancer.org), a new initiative to raise philanthropic dollars for accelerating ground-breaking research, launches today through an unprecedented collaboration uniting the major television networks, entertainment industry executives, celebrities and prominent leaders in cancer research and patient advocacy. ABC, CBS and NBC will donate one hour of simultaneous commercial-free primetime for a nationally televised fundraising event to air on September 5, 2008 (8 pm EDT and PDT), aimed at rallying the public around the goal of ending cancer's reign as a leading cause of death.
..."For people struggling with this disease, or those who will be diagnosed, scientific breakthroughs can be a matter of life or death -- literally. We want everyone to know that they can make a difference in this fight," said [Katie] Couric. "Television is a notoriously competitive business. For the three major broadcast networks to join forces is a wonderful example of the power of working together, and we're very grateful to have the opportunity to reach people all over the country through this show."
"As a motion picture and television producer, I've learned how incredibly powerful these mediums can be in generating public discourse, sometimes almost overnight. Our goal with this initiative and TV show is to ‘tip' the conversation in this country about cancer – to get people riled up, so they want to do something about the fact that it still takes so many lives," said Laura Ziskin, who will produce the September 5th broadcast. Ziskin is a cancer survivor. Her film credits include the Spider-Man trilogy, As Good As It Gets, and Pretty Woman, and she also produced the 74th and 79th Annual Academy Awards.
The Stand Up To Cancer special will feature live performances by legendary recording artists and stars from film and television who will perform as well as present filmed content giving viewers insight into cancer. Various screening tests will be demonstrated in novel and entertaining ways. "Katie, Charlie and Brian will report on potentially life-saving research, speaking with both patients and scientists. We hope to entertain you, educate you, move and inspire you," Ziskin said.
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and was established by a group of media, entertainment and philanthropic leaders, whose lives have all been affected by cancer in significant ways. Stand Up To Cancer is bringing industry resources -- people, as well as mediums such as television and the web -- to bear in the fight against cancer as never before...
"The statistics are staggering," Gibson said. "Cancer claims one person every minute of every day in the United States. Every year in this country, it takes the lives of more than half a million people…worldwide, cancer kills more than six million people annually. There has been progress on both the research and awareness fronts; as a result, there are over ten million cancer survivors in the US today. More work urgently needs to be done so that more people will survive," he said.
...New developments in the laboratory are revealing the way cancer begins, progresses and spreads. Stand Up To Cancer is founded on the belief that now, more than ever, there is sufficient knowledge of the basic science of cancer, and that the technologies are finally available to translate this knowledge into real advances in treatment and prevention. Today's cancer scientists are on the verge of life-saving discoveries. But what they desperately need are the funds required to mount an all-out assault. Stand Up To Cancer is dedicated to providing this much needed new source of cancer research funding...
"Everyone in our country has been touched by cancer in some way, shape or form. The thought that we could, in one hour of television, make a true difference in the fight against this disease was both exciting and inspiring," Sweeney said.
"Television is a uniquely powerful medium and the networks joining forces offer an unparalleled opportunity to communicate loud and clear that we all have a stake in the fight against cancer," said Moonves. "Through the unity of broadcasters, entertainers and cancer groups alike, and the giving spirit of the audience at home, this television event has the potential to make a profound impact on our society's ability to understand and battle this terrible disease."
"We've gone to the moon and pioneered a technology that revolutionized the way the world communicates. Applying that same innovation and commitment, scientists are on the cusp of making enormous strides in their efforts to combat cancer, but they need additional funding to do that. Through Stand Up To Cancer, and the September 5th broadcast, people all over the country can help."
I won't be home, but the DVR is already set. This is so necessary. So BIG. So needed. So NOW. If we all just turned on our TV, said a prayer, gave a dollar... Oncology is a huge interest of mine, and I am all read up on the research. This isn't the media giving you half the story. We're almost there. Almost. But the government is NOT helping. We have the technology, but if you saw the costs, you'd be speechless. Some of these new drugs alone are so high that pharmacies won't even dispense them - the MDs have to pay for them out of pocket, and usually at that they don't get completely reimbursed. Those are the good souls who have the vision. Cancer has touched my life in so many ways - family, close friends, parents of friends... and unfortunately, most of their stories didn't end up with success. That's changing. I truly believe in my lifetime, I'll see the cure to cancer. The more physiology you study and the more you hear about the advanced ideas about treatment options, the more it clicks and you wonder why you didn't think of that! But then you think about how much funding and how many years of research comes next, and it's easy to get discouraged. Well, we've seen what happens on shows like Idol Gives Back, so I'm interested to see what happens when the country and a handful of our hottest celebs get together to make a difference. There's power in numbers. And for just one night, we can forget about being republicans or democrats and stand united for one cause. And those running for office can stand by and watch.... it's about time they realize that despite our differences, we are all humans and we all have a heart for suffering. Yes, our country is suffering. Financially, with our worldwide relationships, and especially with our healthcare. With BIG disease that hit hard. But I hate politics so I'll get back to where my heart is.... health and suffering and MAKING A DIFFERENCE... I had some links for you from their site as well as some facts but due to high traffic, a lot of the site is temporarily down. Here's what works for now, plus some videos. And facts we ALL need to hear.
Tune in tonight. We all can make a difference... how great is that!!
*Where is the money going? Paul Rudd gives us more info about the show and the research...
*Don't forget.... all the STARS are coming out tonight! Here's a benefit song by Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Rihanna, Fergie, Miley Cyrus, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Natasha Bedingfield, Mary J Blige. I believe the single is on iTunes NOW and an album will be in iTunes on Tuesday.
Hard Facts
A 1% reduction in cancer deaths would add $500 billion into the US economy.
Imagine $50 trillion; that’s what we’ll save by conquering cancer.
In 1982 the Surgeon General’s Report stated “cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer mortality in the U.S.” This statement is still true.
Tobacco accounts for over 1/3rd of all cancer deaths in the US.
Although more than 40-thousand women die every year of breast cancer in this country that number is going down. One reason is because doctors and scientists are now able to breakdown tumors to the cellular level and target therapies accordingly.
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women.
Smoking is responsible for 87% of lung cancer deaths and lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and is one of the most difficult cancers to treat.
In 2007 approximately 153,760 new cases of colorectal cancer were diagnosed.
The five-year survival rate for colorectal cancer detected early is 90%.
Colorectal cancer kills almost 50,000 Americans every year.
We used to have such crazy dreams. The kind of dreams that brought us together, made us not mere mortals, but a movement.
We used to dream we'd get to the moon. And we were crazy enough, fanatical enough, relentless enough, to get there.
We dreamed we'd split the atom. Make smallpox and polio whispers from forgotten history books. Make technology infinite, individual. Connect the world.
All the unbelievable and the impossible, all the can't do and the never will, we overwhelmed them, we overpowered them, we conquered them. They said no and we, well, We said yes. We stood up. We stood up and changed the world.
Stand up when everybody else sits down Stand up when it's easier to turn away Stand up for everyone who can't rise anymore
When the answer seems impossible, stand up When the dream is right within our reach, stand up When the powerful refuse your call, stand up
The moment is now and the time has come to stand up. One out of every two men One out of every three women will face these diseases we call cancer.
Our sisters, our brothers, our fathers, our mothers, our husbands, our wives, our children. Our very best friends and those we've yet to meet.
One person every minute, one person in a moment gets lost, gets stolen, gets taken away.
We are a tapestry of lives touched and brought together by a terrorist we can actually find. And in the time it's taken to read this, three more Americans have died.
Unforgivable.
This is where the end of cancer begins.
When together we become a force unmistakable. A movement undeniable. A light that cannot dim.
When we take our wild impossible dreams And make them possible Make them true
When together we rise as one When we stand up When we Stand Up To Cancer.
Lastly, may this simple video touch your heart.
What do YOU stand for?
Tonight, will YOU stand up to cancer? May this be where the end of cancer begins. ABC . NBC . CBS 8p EST/PST View the celebrity lineup
Join the REVOLUTION! From now until May 1st, create as many encouraging notes as you would like - one or one million. Create them yourself, or download the templates on the site and print them. Then everywhere you go, leave a few notes behind. Someone will find one, be surprised, and feel lovely. You might just make someone's day.
I'm definitely participating in this. I think it's wonderful and empowering. It's amazing how such a small, tiny gesture could impact someone's life.
If you're feeling really ambitious, you can even post your creative notes onto the group's Flickr pool.
So excited to get started on this!!
No one can take the place of you. Do something hopeFULL. Listen. Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Breathe. Keep hope alive. There Is Joy Yet To Be Found. Today, tell someone you love, "I love you." You are beautiful.
When our eyes see our hands doing the work of our hearts, the circle of creation is completed inside us, the doors of our souls fly open and love steps forth to heal everything in sight. Michael Bridge
That quote is probably one of my all-time favorite quotes. It really sums up my beliefs and aspirations all in one sentence. On that note, I have lots of blogging to do and it all stems back to that! And this post isn't even about Valentine's Day. We'll save that for tomorrow. :)
Find 30 minutes.
First off, in the wake of National Library Month, today is This City Reads 5th Annual Day of Reading. All you have to do is sign up your name and agree to read for at least 30 minutes today.
What?This City Reads! is the community's alliance of organizations that champion and leverage the power of reading to promote the future success of families, individuals, and businesses in Greater Akron/Summit County. {Quoted from last year's annual report}
Who? If you can read or have ears to listen, it better be YOU. Illiteracy rates are astonishingly high. You probably know at least a few people who you'd be shocked to find out are illiterate. Seriously. It's a big issue, and we need to join together as a community to read, read to our children, and encourage our children to read. My angel mother instilled reading in me from the very beginning of my life and I am sick just thinking about how many children are denied that basic essential that many of us take for granted. Cultivate reading.
An information-based economy requires everyone to read;
Reading soars when family, school, and community collaborate;
First you learn to read, then you read to learn;
Reading is essential to improving quality of life; and
Reading is fundamental to responsible citizenship.
The goals of This City Reads! are to:
Leverage impact;
Engage the community;
Connect individuals and families with resources; and
Champion the collaborative model.
Secondly, I never reported in on clinicals last Wednesday!
Clinical Journal Entry #4: 2/6/2008
Last week was absolutely crazy, but I soooo enjoyed it! I had a patient in for CMS and was expecting just your garden variety dementia, but and was surprised to find out it was caused by alcohol withdrawal and she was in for detox. Long story short, it was a very tough experience, but I found that I left that day feeling more fulfillment than I’d ever felt. She was so vulnerable, closed, and her eyes just screamed fear. Between the withdrawal and all of her medications, she was in and out of it, but just by establishing trust by making her feel valuable and showing her I truly cared, I was amazed at how much she opened up to me. She was so cooperative for me during vitals and assessment, and I even got her to eat some jell-o and drink some juice, and I was thrilled when she reached for her cup and I helped her hold it herself. After breakfast, she agreed to remain sitting up, and I was so proud of her. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but even a tiny bit of independence is a huge deal for many patients.
With my patient, I definitely got experience doing tasks like head-to-toe assessments, I&Os;, emptying a Foley, a quick-on-my-feet pulse issue, etc. but most importantly, I discovered patience I didn’t even know I possessed, and I also got to really focus on communication skills and critical thinking.
Then of course, we got more bed and bath practice - both on my patient and her roommate- and I worked with one of the aides who taught me some really helpful tricks. See, I’m learning if you are friendly and make it clear that you want to learn, there’s no way you can’t.
But the day didn’t end there. Not even close.
My instructor answered a patient’s call light just for the fun of it, and it turned out there was a patient who had an accident in a chair. We couldn’t just leave him to wait for an aide or someone to come clean him up, so I told my instructor I’d handle it. I rounded up my friend, and I think an aide on the floor saw how clueless we looked as we gathered our supplies, so he showed us the easiest, most efficient way to clean up the patient and get him comfortable in bed. The patient was a charming man, and we knew he must be embarrassed, so we just focused on talking to him about his family, his interests, etc., and it was amazed how it really lessened his discomfort.
By the end of the day, I had a little over a half hour left, so I asked my instructor if there was anything I could do. She was just then teaching my friend how to irrigate her patient’s Foley, so of course I was super excited to jump right in and learn something you don’t just see everyday. I was so shocked at how many blood clots can come out of a Foley, but most of all, I felt so badly for the patient who was obviously in extreme discomfort as the solution is room temperature - about 25* cooler than body temperature. Our instructor was doing most of the work, so I took the opportunity to hold Patient’s hand and rub his arm. I was so happy for him when we were done, but I was most definitely excited to learn something new.
A few other things went on, but those are just the main points. My favorite parts of the day were comforting both mine and my friend’s patient. That's the heart and soul of nursing, the reason why I'm in this. I loved how fast-paced the day went and how I had so many opportunities to do different tasks. I definitely learned that the nursing aides are infinite wealths of knowledge, and they can really make the journey a lot easier. I’m definitely learning if you utilize all of your resources, ask questions like your life depends on it (because someone’s life does depend on it!), practice critical thinking, love from the bottom of your heart, and exercise creativity the rest of the way, there’s really no way you can’t learn and make the most of this...
Loving every minute of it!
Clinical Journal Entry #5: 2/13/2008
Coming tomorrow!!!
Today was even better - I love this so much I'm actually starting to wonder if it's just the "Honeymoon Phase" and it's going to wear off. But I'm determined not to let that happen. I really think this is just that good. It's crazy, and seriously crazy hard, but I am thriving. Anyways, today was my third day in the hospital, and it was my turn for Alternate Experience Day in Endoscopy. I really, really performed many works of my heart, literally watched healing before my eyes, and was in awe of the mystery of the human body and the hidden strength of the most battered souls including mine. All I need to do is see that I've comforted someone, made them smile... never do I feel so complete. Even when I'm fighting my own vivid memories. But more on today, tomorrow...
But for now, Listen to your heart. Pursue its dreams with passion, and heal with love. Be prepred to be *amazed*. That's what this crazy miracle is all about.
I am 22 & currently spend my days nannying my itty bitties + going to college (working on my nursing degree, goal: pediatric oncology) & am honored to be a published writer in a nursing anthology & a contributor to many scrapbooking publications. i love hanging with my amazing friends, sister & family. i love my baby puppy haylie brooke and our silly doggie ri-ri. in my rare spare time, i read & get crafty. i thrive on organization, my mac repertoire, learning & absolute fabulosity. my favorite place in the world is paris. my favorite color is pink. i love being a nurse & i believe each one of my patients is precious. i'm a night owl & wish my lifestyle promoted such habits. i like lazy jammie days. i believe in god and am thankful for his hand on my life. i believe that life is too short to be anything but happy, & i’m thankful that a chronic liver disease + the effects of a car accident have taught me important values that most people learn far too late. i hope that the world will find hope, and my idea of a good day is one in which i made someone smile :)
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Near and dear to my heart...
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